Details of a new television ad from President Bush to begin airing Wednesday:
Title
“Solemn Duty”
Length
30 seconds
Producer
Maverick Media
Airing
National cable networks and selected local media markets in 19 battleground states: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin.
Script
Bush: “I’m George W. Bush, and I approve this message. My most solemn duty is to lead our nation to protect ourselves. I can’t imagine the great agony of a mom or a dad having to make the decision about which child to pick up first on September the 11th. We cannot hesitate; we cannot yield; we must do everything in our power to bring an enemy to justice before they hurt us again.”
Key images
Bush, in a short-sleeve shirt, sits next to his wife, Laura, in a casual environment, with soft lights and a couch behind them. Bush does not face the camera. There is a close-up of Bush’s hand near his heart and of the couple’s faces.
Analysis
As he seeks to give details of his second-term agenda, Bush not only reaffirms that national security is his main priority and would be his top issue if re-elected, but he also implicitly responds to critics of his handling of Iraq.
The ad indirectly makes the argument that Bush’s pre-emptive action in Iraq was warranted to ensure that President Saddam Hussein was removed from power so he would no longer be a threat to America — and that pre-emptive action would be warranted again if America’s security was in question.
Moreover, even though his Democratic opponent, John Kerry, is not mentioned, Bush subtly suggests that Kerry would waver if in the same position.
By referring to Sept. 11, the ad also seeks to reassure voters that the nation, under his leadership, is working toward bringing another U.S. enemy to justice — Osama bin Laden, the suspected mastermind of the terrorist attacks. Bin Laden is still at large. And Zacarias Moussaoui is the only U.S. defendant charged with participating in a conspiracy that included the attacks. The government’s case against Moussaoui is pending.
Bush also appeals to parents, reminding them of the fear and confusion felt by many the day terrorists struck the World Trade Center towers in New York and the Pentagon outside Washington.
Overall, he seeks to convince voters that he — as commander in chief — should not be replaced during wartime.